Remembering Bolger
OPINION: Is it now time for the country's top agricultural university to start thinking about a name change - something that has been mooted in the past?
Prime Minister Chistopher Luxon says Bolger was a towering figure in NZ political life, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said that Bolger’s contributions will continue to shape the country for generations to come.
James Brendan Bolger was born to Irish immigrant parents in the Taranaki township of Opunake and later went farming in the Waikato.
In 1972 he was first elected to parliament as the MP for King Country - a seat he held until his retirement in 1998.
Under successive Muldoon governments he served in various roles including agriculture, fisheries, labour and immigration.
In 1990 at the age of 55 the sheep and beef farmer won a landslide election as Prime Minister and set about introducing a series of major reforms.
He later became NZ ambassador to the US and held other public roles.
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Along with his wife Joan, Bolger was proud of his strong Irish catholic roots and visited Ireland many times, a republican at heart he abolished the UK honours system and introduced a NZ system of honours.
Bolger was a humble family man, politically astute and intelligent who gave a lifetime of service to his country.
